Nikon's series of f/1.8G prime lenses is a boon to photographers who use the company's D-SLR cameras. Each one we've tested has been a solid performer, and affordably priced. The Nikon AF-S Nikkor 85mm f/1.8G is no different. It's quite sharp, even at f/1.8, fairly light, and a great deal at $499.95. It's not quite the same pinnacle of optical perfection as the Zeiss Otus 1.4/85, but given that it won't require you to consider a second mortgage to acquire, it's equally as worthy of being called Editors' Choice.

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The Nikkor 85mm measures 2.9 by 3.1 inches (HD), weighs just 12.4 ounces, and supports 67mm front filters. A reversible bayonet lens hood is included, as is a soft carrying case. There's no optical stabilization system—most prime lenses in this focal range don't have one—so it's not the best choice for handheld video recording. The only control switch changes between manual and autofocus. The manual focus ring sits right behind the front element, and there is a printed scale that changes to show you at what distance the lens is focused. Nikon puts a depth of field scale, with markings for f/16, next to the distance indicator, but the focal length, short focus throw, and very narrow markings make focusing by scale impractical, even when stopped down.

The aperture is a 7-blade design, with rounded blades, so out-of-focus highlights will be fairly circular when the lens is stopped down. Close focus is limited to 2.6 feet, which you may find limiting if you're used to working with wider angle lenses that focus closer. The longer focal length does provide a maximum magnification ratio of 1:8.3, but that's by no means macro territory. If that's what you're after, consider Nikon's excellent AF-S VR Micro-Nikkor 105mm f/2.8G IF-ED, which is capable of 1:1 reproduction.

I used Imatest to see how the Nikkor 85mm performs when paired with the 36-megapixel Nikon D810. At f/1.8 it scores 2,598 lines per picture height on our center-weighted sharpness test, with just a slight drop in performance at the edges of the frame (2,134 lines). That's much better than the 1,800 lines we look for in an image.

Stopping down to f/2 offers nominal improvement (2,680 lines), but at f/2.8 the resolution jump to 2,938 lines, and hit hits 3,254 lines at f/4. There's a modest improvement at f/5.6 (3,290 lines), but a big jump at f/8 (3,654 lines) and peak resolution at f/11 (3,779 lines). At f/16 diffraction robs the lens of some resolution, but it still shows 3,366 lines. Distortion is minimal. There's just 0.3 percent pincushion, which gives straight lines a very slight inward curve. It's hardly worth mentioning.

Getting this kind of optical performance for $500 is a treat, especially when you consider that similar f/1.4 lenses from Zeiss and Nikon can cost more than twice as much. The close focus distance is a little limiting, but if you're a macro shooter you'll be better served by the Micro-Nikkor 105mm, which adds in-lens stabilization to boot. You may be tempted to spend more on an f/1.4 lens to really blur backgrounds behind portrait subjects, but it's pretty easy create a shallow depth of field in this focal length when shooting at f/1.8. The Nikon AF-S Nikkor 85mm f/1.8G is an excellent lens and an excellent value, making it easy to call our Editors' Choice.

About the Author

Senior digital camera analyst for the PCMag consumer electronics reviews team, Jim Fisher is a graduate of the Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, where he concentrated on documentary video production. Jim's interest in photography really took off when he borrowed his father's Hasselblad 500C and light meter in 2007. He honed his writing skills at re... See Full Bio

Nikon AF-S Nikkor 85mm f/1.8G

Nikon AF-S Nikkor 85mm f/1.8G

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